Domestic appliance



Dec. 3,

1946. J. B. DYER DOMESTIC APPLIANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Dec. 3; 1946. J. a. DYER 2,411,960

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Filed Jan. 8, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 To Pr j 12! ZZZ 2Z6 Dec. 3, 1946. J B, DYER 1 2,411,960

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Original Filed Jan. 8, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 no \J Patented Dec. 3, 1948 DOMESTIC APPLIANCE JohnlDyenSyraonsaN.

Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Y a-ignortoGeneral Original application January 8, 1940, Serial No.

Dlvided and this application March 13, 1943, Serial No. 479,:

' (Oi. ca-izi 1 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a domestic appliance, and more particularly to washing machines.

This application is a division of my copendlng application Serial No. 312,837 flied January 8. 1940 now Patent No. 2,331,897 issued Oct. 19, 1943, and is particularly directed to the automatic control means for controlling the washing machine.

It is another object of my invention to provide in a washing machine a simple, durable, inexpensive means for providing an automatic change from the washing or agitating period to the dryins period.

It is another object of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, automatic control for the introduction of washing fluid, as well as washinmgigsinganddryinginadirectdrivewashing me c It is still another object of my invention to provide an automatic direct drive washing machine operating through a means common to both the agitating means. and a centrifugal drying means at motor speed.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a washing machine em dying one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of the automa control mechanism for the washing machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a view of the operating knob and dial for the automatic control mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2:

Pig. 4 is a sectional view of the water mixing valve she in Fig. l;

Fig.5isawiringdisgramforanautomatic control of a modified form of washing machine; Fig. 6 is a form of clutch control for the modilied washing machine replacing the clutch control shown in Fig. 1:

Fig. 'l is a view of the drlvingmotor and casing including the modified clutch. control shown in Fig. 6; d

Pig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line H of Fig. 6.

Brief description Briefly. I have shown a washing machine provided with a spinning basket containing s rotatable agitating means having a helical vane for agitating the washing fluid and the clothes in the spinning basket during the washing and periods. The agitating means is connected through the bottom of the basket by a vertical shaft which may be a vertical extension of the motor shaft of an electric motor which is flexibly mounted beneath the spinning basket. The spinning basket is rotatably mounted upon a sleeve surrounding the. shaft connecting the motor and the agitator, and this sleeve is provided at its lower end with a movable clutch plate which normally rests in engagement with a braking member. A clutch is also provided upon the motor shaft for lifting the clutch plate from the braking surface and making frictional engagement with the clutch plate to drive the spinning basket forcentrifugal drying of the clothes in the basket.- An electric control means is provided for controlling the introduction of washing fluid into the basket and for operating the motor and the clutch means. In a modified form, a reversing driving motor is provided which, by reversing, controls the clutch means to provide an agitating period and a spinning period in opposite direction of rotation.

The casino and framework Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a washing machine including an ornamental sheet metal casing Ill within which is provided a supporting frame construction which includes four diagonal supports 22, each provided at their lower ends with an adjustable glide It for supporting the washing machine upon the floor. The lower ends of the diagonally opposite diagonal supports II are connected by straps 26 having their extreme end portions It turned upwardly and fastened to the inner face of the sheet metal casing 2|. The upper ends of the diagonally opposite diagonal supports 22 are connected to bowed connecting members II which are fastened together by a rivet 82 at the intersection of the members ll. The upper ends of the members II are each provided with an aperture which receives a stud ll at the end of a rubber connecting member ll extending from the flange it at the upper end of the motor casing 88. The rubber connecting member ll resiliently locates the upper end of the motor mounting of the electric driving motor it within the framework provided by the diagonal supports 22 and the connecting members.

The agitator and agitator drive The tub spinning drive Surrounding the shaft 62 is a bearing sleeve 52 and surrounding the bearing sleeve 52 is a driving sleeve 55 connected at its lower end to a clutch plate 56 and at its upper end to a flanged connector member so which is fastened by means of the plate so and the bolts t2 to the bottom of the spinning basket or tub es.

The tub construction This spinning basket or tub B5 is provided with an inner basket member 58 which includes an oflset bottom portion B8 containing a plurality of drain apertures ill. At the mldportlon oi the side of the basket member 68 are additional drain apertures 12. The upper portion of the basket member BB is tapered inwardly and provided with a strengthening flange l4.

Surrounding the basket member I is a flume member I6 which Joins the basket member 8' at the bottom of the offset portion 08 to make a double thickness 01' metal which extends between the members 58 and iii and is clamped therebetwoen by the bolts 82. The portion of the flume member 18 beneath the apertures 12 is spaced from but closely conforms to the shape of the adjacent portions of the basket member 88. However, the remaining portion of the dome portion i6 tapers outwardly slightly and at its upper edge is provided with an out-turned flange i8.

This out-turned flange 18 extends over the discharge flume Bil which is provided upon the inside walls of the casing 20. The bottom wall 02 this discharge flume 80 is provided with a slope, so that itdralns to one side where there is located a. discharge pipe 82 which extends directly downwardly.

Effect of rotation of agitator and tub The construction is such that i! the agitator H is rotated at motor speed and the tub member i4 held stationary, the washing fluid in the tab will i be agitated in a doughnut-shaped path. When the tub 81 is rotated, the washing fluid will be pumped out of the-flame member II and thrown over its flange 18 into the discharge flume 80, from which the washing fluid will be drained by the discharge pipe 82. This action will pump the greater portion of the washing fluid from the basket member 88 through the apertures id in the bottom of the tub so that the suds and curds which float on top of the water will be drained through the apertures 18 while the clothing lies around the midportion oi the basket member covering the apertures 12. The apertures '12 are employed for providing a. means of escape tor the remaining portion oi the washing fluid which cannot be removed through the apertures N.

.The clutch and brake construction The upper-portion 88 of the housing of the motor 38 is provided with a bearing section 84 which surrounds and supports the sleeve 54 and the bearing sleeve 52. The lower end of the sleeve ll below the bearing portion 8 is, as mentioned before, provided with a clutch plate Ii, This clutch plate I6 is splined or otherwise connected to the bottom oi the sleeve 54 so that it can move vertically, but cannot rotate with respect to the sleeve 54. A clutch spring 86, retained by a retainer ring Bl flxed to the sleeve 54, is provided for holding the clutch plate ill at the bottom of its lower limit of vertical movement relative to the sleeve It. At its Periphery, the clutch plate It is provided with a clutch facing 99 normally held in engagement with a brake ring 92 which is provided within the housing of the motor 3!.

Within the brake ring 92, there is provided a movable clutch disc 91 which is fixed to a. clutch collar 88 which, in turn, is splined or keyed to the drive shell; 42. This clutch collar 88 is provided with a groove engaged by a forked lever ill which is pivoted to a. support ifll and connected at its outer end by a link I!!! to the plunger of a solenoid magnet i0! anchored to a bracket ifl'l extending irom the housing of the motor 38. The clutch plate 58 is provided with a second clutch racing I09 located within the confines o! the clutch lacing 90, so that when the solenoid'ifll is energized, the lever 98 will be pivoted in a clockwise direction to move the clutch disc into en a ement with the clutch lacing iiil, thereby clutching the driving motor 38 to the sleeve 84 and the tub i4, and at the same time lifting the clutch facing 90 away from the brake ring I. when the solenoid i0! is deenerglzed, the clutch disc 94 will move downwardly, allowing the clutch facing 90 to again engage the brake ring I: to stop the tub B4 and then the clutch disc 94 will move away from the clutch facing I to disconnect the motor it from the sleeve 54 and the tub 84. It should be noted that the spring II is contracted more and tbereiore exerts a greater pressure when the clutch disc 84 hits the clutch plate 58 than when the clutch plate II is in engagement with the brake ring 92. This servesto compensate for the smaller size of the clutch racing I". Thus, by this construction, there is provided a'very simple means tor clutching the tab to the driving motor and tor stopping the tub.

The motor support The bottom 01 the housing of the motor 3| is supported by supporting member Hi which, in turn, is supported by a bracket H2 held in place by the rivet 32. The connecting members 18 and 30 are suiflciently flexible to allow some movement of the motor as and tub u with the center of movement about in the location 0! the rivet 32. This will provide a means for absorbing vibration within the rubber members 0.

The water supply system For supplying water or washing fluid to the 4. This mixing valve all is connected to a hot water inlet pipe H9 and a. cold water inlet pipe I. Within the housing of the valve H1 there is provided a butterfly valve I23 between the connection to the hot water inlet pipe ill and the cold water inlet pipe iii. This butterfly valve I23 is actuated by a spiral bimetal ther mostat I25 which is located adjacent the hot water inlet pipe II9. This bimetal thermostat I25 is so set as to hold the butterfly valve I23 open an amount sufllcient to mix the cold water and the hot water coming from the pipes I2I and H9 so as to cause properly tempered water to be supplied to the pipe H3 and to the tub 34.

The hot water inlet pipe H9 is provided with a solenoid valve I21 which is opened when energized and closed when deenergized. The cold water inlet pipe I2I is provided with a similar valve I29. By this arrangement, when the cold water valve I23 is closed and the valve I21 is opened, only hot water is discharged into the tub 54. However, when both the valves I21 and I29 are opened, the butterfly vaive I23 will so proportion the amount of water flowing through the valve II1 that tempered water will be supplied to the tub 34.

The automatic control system An automatic control I3I provided with a control knob I33 upon the outside oi the casing 23 is provided for automatically controlling the washing machine. This automatic control, as is better shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is so made that the knob I33 can be turned to any desired washing period from 1 to 15 minutes and the complete washing, rinsing and drying operations will be thereafter automatically performed, after which the machine will be stopped automatically. As shown in Fig. 3, indices off, on and washing period" are provided on the outside of the cabinet which cooperate with the knob I33 provided with the indices 0, 5, "l0," and 15. When the knob I33 is turned to the "off" position, everything is deenergized and the entire machine is idle. In order to start the machine, the knob must be turned so that some point between the indices and 15" is placed opposite the washing period. This will govern the length of time the clothes are washed. This knob I 33 is connected to a rotatable contactor I35 which is shown in Fig. 2 in a position it assumes when the knob I33 is turned to start the machine.

This rotatable contactor I35 is directly connected to the knob I33 and also to a timing driving motor I31 which is preferably of such a type having a relatively constant speed and preferably it is somewhat similar to the motor of an electric clock. This contactor I35 is provided with five sliding contacts designated by the reference characters I, I42, I43, I44 and 45.

The timing driving motor The contact I 4| is shown in engagement with the stationary contact slide I41. The sliding contact I45 is shown in engagement with the contact slide I49. The conductors IN and I53 connect to a suitable source of electric energy. The conductor I 5I is, in turn, connected'by the conductor I55 to the rotatable contactor I35. This rotatable ccntactor I35 provides an electrical connection with the sliding contact I45 and the contact slide I43. The contact slide I43 is, in turn, connected to the conductor I51 which, in turn, connects to the timing driving motor I31 01 an automatic control. This timing driving motor I31 is, in turn, connected by the conductor I59 to the supply conductor I53. This will start and keep in operation the timing motor I31 for the duration of the entire washing, rinsing and drying operations, since the contact slide I49 is sufiiciently long to keep this circuit closed throughout these operations.

The initial hot water charlie I41. This contact slide I41 is, in turn, connected by the conductor I3I to a bimetal timer I33 which cooperates with and operates between the contacts I55 and I31. The bimetal timer I53 includes a cantilever-supported bimetal strip provided with a snap-action spring at its free end similar to the construction of the Lewerenz' Reissue Patent 16,654. The contact I35 is connected by a conductor I69 to a conductor HI. This conductor I has one end connected to a solenoid I13 and extends to the supply conductor I53 while the other end connects to the contact slides I15 and I11. When the contactor I35 has the slide contact MI in engagement with contact slide I41, and the bimetal timer I33 is in engagement with the contact I35, electric current will flow from the conductor I55 through the contact line I35, the contact slide I, the conductor iii, the bimetal timer I63, the contact I39 and the conductor I1I, which includes a solenoid I13 to the power source I53. This will cause the solenoid switch I19 operated by the solenoid I13 to close the circuit which includes the conductors .I3I and I33, as well as the solenoid of the hot water valve I21 so that current will flow from the source conductor I5I through the solenoid of the hot water valve I21 to the source conductor I53 to open the hot water inlet valve I21. This circuit, however, will only be maintained for a relatlvely short time until the tub 64 receives an adequate supply of hot water. The amount of this supply is timed by the bimetal timer I53 which when heated sufliciently will leave the contact I35 and move into engagement with the contact I51.

The washing period When this is done, the curernt will then flow through the conductor I35 including solenoid I31 to the supply conductor I53. This will close the solenoid switch I33, thereby completing the cir- 5 cult from the conductor i5I through the conductors I3I and 193 and through the driving motor 33 to the supply conductor I53. This will cause the driving motor 33 to rotate the agitator 44 at motor speed. This agitator 44, through its spiral vane 53, will cause agitation to take place at all points within the tub. The tub 34, however, at this time will remain stationary because of the engagement oi the clutch facing 35 with the brake ring 32 under the influence of the spring 33.

All during the washing period, the length of which is governed by the initial setting of the knob I33 and the contact arm I35, the motor 33 will remain energized to agitate the clothes. When the knob I33 is set for the full fifteen minute washing period, the contact arm I35 will begin at the lower end of the slide I41. For a lesser period, the contact arm I35 will be initially set at an intermediate point upon the slide contact I41. When the contact arm, which is continuously rotated by the motor I31, reaches the end of the slide contact I41, the solenoid I31 will be deenergized. thereby opening switch I33 and deenergizing motor 33.

The first spinning Operation A short time after this, the contact III will engage the contact slide I33 which is conncted by a conductor I35 with a conductor I35 and the solenoid I31 so that the solenoid M1 and the 7 motor II will be again energized and start operation of the motor. However, at this time also, the contact Il2 will also engage the contact slide I91 which is connected by the conductor I99 to the solenoid 292, and the solenoid switch 294, which will allow electric current to how from the source conductor I5l through the conductors 206 and 298 to energize the clutch solenoid I05. This will raise the clutch collar 95 and cause the clutch disc 94 to engage the clutch facing I59 and lift the clutch facing SII oi! the brake ring 92 so that the tub 64 is released from the brake ring and is clutched to the motor 98 in a direct drive so that it rotates at motor speed along with the agitator 44. This will cause the centrifugal draining of the basket member Iill largely through the outlet apertures III, as mentioned before, when the tub H was described. This continues for a period of about five minutes in proportion to the length of the contact slide I93 so that the tub 64 is completely emptied and the clothes dried.

The second hot water charge After this, the contact arm I35 continues to move and the contact I makes engagement with the contact I while the only other contact active is the contact I45. This allows direct current to flow from the contact arm S35 through the conductor Ill and the solenoid I13 to again close the circuit of the hot water valve I21 to allow hot water to flow again into the tub 5. At this time. the amount of hot water is controlled by the length of the contact slide I15. When the contact arm I35 reaches the end of this contact slide Il5, the supply of hot water is shut oil by the deenergization of the solenoid oi the valve I21.

The first rinsing At the same time, the contact III again makes engagement with a contact slide 2Iil which is connected to the contact slide I93 and, in turn, is connected to the'solenoid I91 oi the switch I99 to close the circuit of the motor 99. This will cause agitation of the clothes in iresh hot water to give the clothes 9, hot water rinse. When at the end of about flve minutes, the contact arm I35 reaches the end of the slide contact 2I9. the motor 38 is stopped for an interval of about one minute.

The second drying period After this, the slide contact III again makes engagement with a contact slide 2I2 which is in series with the contact slides m and I99 for again energizing the driving motor 38. At this time, the contact I42 is in engagement with the contact slide 2 I4 which is connected in series with the contact slide I91 to again energize the solenoid I95 to clutch the tub to the driving motor, in order to spin the tub and remove the hot rinse water.

The tempered water charge When the contact arm I35 reaches the end of the contact slides H2 and 2, the contact Ill, after a. brief interval, will make engagement with the contact slide I'll which closes the circuit oi the conductor III to energize the solenoid I19 of the switch I19 to energize the solenoid of the hot water valve I21 to open this valve. At the same time, however, the contact I will make contact with the contact slide 2I8 which will close the circuit through a conductor 2|. which includes a solenoid 220 for closing the switch 222 which will close an electric circuit to allow current to flow from the supply conductor I5I through the conductors 224 and 229, as well as the solenoid oi the cold water valve I29 to the supply conductor I59 for allowing both hot and cold water to flow to the mixing valve I" which will mix th hot and cold water so that tempered water will be supplied to the tub.

The second rinsing When the contact arm I35 reaches the end of the contact slides Ill and 2l6, the contact I will engage another contact slide 228 which will connect through the contact slides 2I2, 2I9 and I9! to the conductors I95 and I to again energize the driving motor 38. This will again operate the agitator I so as to agitate the clothes in tempered rinse water.

The final drying period There is a brief interval provided between the contact slide 229 and the next contact slide 230 which is also engaged by the slide contact I and is connected to the contact slide 229. This again energizes the driving motor 39. Another contact slide 232 is provided which is engaged at the same time by a slide contact 2 which is connected to the contact Slides 2 and I9! in order to energize the clutch solenoid Hi5 to release the tub 54 from its brake and to clutch the tub to the driving motor 38. This will operate the agitator M and the tub N at motor speed in order to remove the water from the tub N and dry the clothes.

Modified form I In Figs. 5 to 8, I have shown a modified system which includes a reversing motor and a clutch mechanism operated by the reversing of the motor to control the spinning of the tub. As is best shown in Fig. 7, the modified reversing motor and motor housing 30! has the motor shaft 299 provided with a clutch operating pin 305. the opposite ends oi which extend and ride within inclined slots 30! provided in a modified clutch collar 309. When the motor operates in one direction, the pin will move into the upper end of the slot and cam the clutch disc 94 downwardly so that the clutch plate 58 will have its outer facing resting upon the brake ring 92, thereby stopping and preventing rotation of the tub 6 When the motor 30I operates in the opposite direction, the pin 305 will ride to the lower end of the slots 391, thereby elevating the disc 94 into engagement with the clutch lacing I99, thereby raising the clutch facing 99 from the brake ring and clutching the tub to the driving motor. This will cause the rotation in the reverse direction of the tub 59 along with the agitator ll, making it possible to centritugally remove the water and dry the clothing in the tub. This movement of the pin 355 in the slots 30! takes place by reason of the inertia oi the clutch disc 9 which may be weighted at its rim to increase its moment of inertia and the sudden start or the motor. a

- The modified automatic control A modified form of automatic control is shown in Fig. 5 for this reversing type motor and clutch mechanism. This is operated by the knob shown in Fig. 3 and is fastened to the casing as shown in Fig. 1. This automatic control is connected to the supply conductors III and ill. The supply conductor ill connects to a contact slide III 11 The second rinsing Shortly after this, the contact 32! en ages an- The final drying period When the contact 32! reaches the end of the contact slide 381, after a short interval, the contest 324 will engage the contact slide it! which is connected in series with the contact slides "i and I59, in order to cause the motor till to operate in the reverse direction, thereby clutching the tub 64 to the motor lill to expel the water and dry the clothes by centriiugal action. The contact slide 363 is made suiilciently long to properly dry the clothes.

Summary Thus. I have provided awashing machine in which the agitator and the tub are directly connected to the driving motor to provide agitation and centrifugal drying at motor speed. Preferably, some form of motor preferably oithe induction type' is provided, having a maximum speed of not over nine hundred R. P. M. For

the reversing motor 3M, it is desirable that the motor have a high starting torque, so as to better operate the clutch collar at through the medium of the pin SI! and the inclined slots Ill. It will be seen that the mechanism is very simple as compared to most other machines, and tree from likelihood of mechanical failure.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted. as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as iollows:

1. A washing machine including a tub, means l2 V for suppl ing the tub with washing iluid, means for agitating the eontentsoi the tub, a two-way alternative control device for selecting either the supply means or the agitating means, manually settable means for selectively varying the sum total time of operation of both of said means, a thermal device operable upon the-attainment of a predetermined temperature for controlling said alternative device to control the change from the supply means to the agitating means, and means for electrically heating saidthermal device concurrent with the supplying of washing fluid.

2. A washing machine including a tub, means for supplying the tube with washing fluid, means for agitating the contents of the tub, manually settable timing means i'or selectively varying the duration of the agitation, and a thermal device separate from said settable means for timing said supply means, said thermal device being operable upon the attainment of a predetermined temperature, and means for electrically heating said thermal device concurrent with the supplying of washing fluid.

3. A washing machine including a tub, means for supplying the tub with washing fluid including electrical control means, electrically operated means for agitating the contentsoi the tub, a two-way alternative electrical supply means for alternately supplying electric energy to-elther the electrical control. means or the electrically operated means. said supply means incorporating a thermal mean's operative upon reaching a predetermined temperature and a means for electrically heating said thermal means coincidentally with the iiow of current through the supply means for causing it to move from supplying the electrical control means to supplying the electrically operated means.

JOHN B. DYER. 

